Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: archer and armstrong, auction, barry windsor smith, conan, conan the barbarian, heritage, marvel, sponsored, weapon x, wolverine

Barry Windsor-Smith Conan & Weapon X Original Cover Art At Auction

Published Wed, 16 Jun 2021 11:32:20 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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It's Barry Windsor-Smith time at the 2021 June 17 – 19 Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction #7244 auction from Heritage, which may be their most significant comic book auction to date with some insanely valuable, desirable, and influential examples of original comic book artwork. Including these pages from across Barry Windsor-Smith's career. From his days drawing Conan The Barbarian, which he made his own – even if he was still just called Barry Smith then. He would add the "Windsor" to sound more distinguished, more of English nobility, and it worked. We also have a cover from Weapon X for Marvel Comics Presents, his Wolverine origin that became a major hit; bidding for all of this will finish on Thursday, the 17th of June. A page from Archer And Armstrong, the series he co-created for Valiant and remains one of my favorite runs from that publisher, will finish its bids on Saturday, the 19th of June. Feel free to drool; you are excused…

Barry Windsor-Smith Marvel Comics Presents #78 Unused "Blood" Variant Cover Wolverine/Weapon X Original Art (Marvel, 1991). Barry Windsor-Smith's artwork is highly praised by fans and highly-sought by art collectors. His covers are sought out even more eagerly! According to information from BWS himself, he produced three versions of this cover. And although this version was not the published one, it was, in fact, his favorite of the three. He referred to this one as "the liveliest" of them. With its darker and more spontaneous brush work, it is at once both a fierce and sympathetic image of Logan and the torment he endured. Rendered in ink over blue pencil on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 10.75" x 11.25". There is light smudging and whiteout art corrections. Signed "BWS" and dated 1991 in the lower right. The piece is noted as being an "ink study" on the reverse of the board. In Excellent condition. The auction will end at 12:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Barry Smith Conan the Barbarian #2 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1970). The earliest Conan cover ever offered by Heritage! The Cimmerian barbarian is restrained by the Beast-Men in this image titled "In the Cavern Waits — Doom!" by acclaimed artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Ink over graphite on cover stock Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Toned, logo, header, and text paste-ups, staples in the top margin, blue pencil and whiteout corrections, especially on Conan, with creasing, residue staining, and smudging/handling wear. Signed by Smith in the bottom right side image area. In Very Good condition. The auction will end at 12:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Barry Smith and Sal Buscema Conan the Barbarian #6 Story Page 9 Original Art (Marvel, 1971). Conan has an impact on the ladies, as these abductors have an impact on the Cimmerian barbarian's head, abducting the subject of Conan's interest in this early Conan page by Barry Smith. It's the first time this page has come up for auction. Created in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, production oil staining, stripped-in text and art in Panel 6, held by tape on the back, taped paste-up in the bottom margin, marginal notes, blue pencil editorial marks, with light smudging and handling wear. In Very Good condition. The auction will end at 2:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Barry Smith, P. Craig Russell, and others Conan the Barbarian #21 Story Page 20 Original Art (Marvel, 1972). Many hands went into the creation of this final page from "The Monster of the Monoliths!" featuring the Cimmerian barbarian. Series artist Barry Smith is credited with the layouts, finished by Marvel mainstays P. Craig Russell, Val Mayerik, Sal Buscema, and Dan Adkins. Ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". Slight toning, tape residue on the edges, blue pencil editorial marks, whiteout corrections, taped number paste-up at the bottom, with light staining and handling wear. In Very Good condition. The auction will end at 2:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, June 17, 2021.

Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Wiacek Archer and Armstrong #3 Enhanced Story Page 10 Original Art (Valiant, 1992/2010s). Armstrong seems to have lost his magical bag of holding somewhere in the sewers! This page was originally created in 1992 in ink over blue pencil on bright white Bristol board with an image area of 10" x 15". At some point in more recent history, BWS re-mastered the inks on the page and signed it with a "BWS" in Panel 2. At the same time, he had new lettering created and affixed directly on the page. (The original Valiant method just has "placeholders" on the page, and text was separate). This piece is signed and noted on the back as being "enhanced." In Excellent condition. The auction will end at 10:00 AM Central Time, Saturday, June 19, 2021.

Barry Smith – "Kull of Atlantis" Story Page 16 Original Art (c. 1970). Before Conan the Barbarian, there was King Kull! Robert E. Howard's barbarian King predated his own Conan by three years, first appearing in Weird Tales in 1929. This story was produced by Barry Smith (aka Barry Winsor-Smith) originally with a paperback format in mind. You can see that his design for Kull would eventually translate over to the look for Marvel's 1970 release of Conan the Barbarian #1. This page was produced in ink and Zipatone over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 7.5" x 11.5". Panel 2 is an original art paste-up on the larger board. There is handling wear on the toned board. In Very Good condition. The auction will end at 10:00 AM Central Time, Saturday, June 19, 2021.